For the last 2-3 weeks, mom's been more vocal and social, so it was a bit of a shock to get a call today about hospice care. Apparently, a measure of decline in a patient with Alzheimer's disease is weight loss.
Mom's been losing weight for months and recently dropped another 11 pounds in two months. Last month, speech therapy stepped in, trying to learn what foods mom likes after determining there was no physical problem. Mom favors fruit, but still eats very little. I guess she no longer feels hungry, which is a sure sign the disease is progressing.
I always thought hospice was for people who were extremely weak and on their death beds. Mom is still spending her days in a wheelchair, and continues to have bouts of aggression. Nevertheless, hospice will be called this week to conduct an evaluation. If it's determined mom is ready for their help, she'll be put under hospice care and the family will enter a new phase of this horrible disease.
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